The present invention relates to a control device.
With control devices of the usual type, such as gear controls for motor vehicles, a gear lever incorporated in the device can be set in a number of different positions which determine a certain operating state of the device, for example a gearbox, which is to be controlled. By this means the operating state of the lever is transferred to the device which is to be controlled by means of a transmission device, for example in the form of a cable, linkage, hydraulics or electrical signals. For certain types of control it can be desirable for a first transmission device not to be activated, but for the position of the control lever to be transferred by means of a second transmission device. In this case with a traditional control device the first transmission device must be disconnected when the second transmission device is connected, which results in a complicated mechanism. In addition the difference in the lever position in different operating states is so small that the positions must be clearly indicated and detected.
One of the objects of the present invention is to produce a control device which is ergonomically correct and which by means of its character shows the selected operating state.
In accordance with the preseent invention, this and other objects have now been realized by the invention of a control device comprising a console, a control lever mounted on the console, at least one pivot device enabling the control lever to pivot relative to the console to change between a number of operating positions where the operating positions of the control lever around the at least one pivot device are intended to be transferred to a corresponding operating state of a device which is to be controlled, the operating positions comprising at least two different operating modes, including a first operating mode in which the position of the control lever can be changed by moving the control lever between a first plurality of operating positions, and a second operating mode in which the position of the control lever can be changed by moving the control lever between a second plurality of operating positions and wherein the control lever, when in the first operating mode lies along a reference plane across which the control lever can be swiveled between the operating positions in the first operating mode and when in the second operating mode can be elevated relative to the reference plane, and in the elevated state can be moved like a joystick between the operating positions in the second operating mode. In a preferred embodiment, the at least one pivot device includes a common pivot point for changing the control lever between all of the operating positions. In another embodiment, the at least one pivot device forms a biaxial cardan attachment of the control lever in the console with the two pivot axes thereof intersecting at the common pivot point.
In accordance with another embodiment of the control lever of the present invention, the control device includes a support surface in the console comprising the reference plane across which the control lever can swivel.
In accordance with another embodiment of the control lever of the present invention, the at least one pivot device includes mechanical guide means in the control lever and guide members disposed in the console to control the movements and position of the control lever, the mechanical guide means arranged to interact with the guide means. Preferably, the guide members comprise at least one guide way for each of the operating modes, a secondary guide way extending between at least two of the operating modes and to be held in the selected operating position along the guide ways for each operating mode, and a spring-loaded guide pin arranged to move in at least one of the guide ways.